Drop-end gondola car.



C. W. COURT.

DROP END GONDDLA CAR.

APPLIcATIoII FILED AuG.I. IaII.

Patented June 4, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEETI C. W. COURT.

DROP END GONDOLA CAR.

APPLICATION FILED Aus. I. I9I7.

Patented June 4, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Arrow/5v5.

. CLARENCE W. COURT, F

r rc,

l CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DROP-END GONDOL CAR.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented J une 4, 1%18.

Application led August 1, 1917. Serial No. 183,877.

y To all whom t 'may concern:

l a hinge or set forth.

. Chicago, in

Be it known that I, CLARENCE W. COURT, a citizen of the United States, residin at the county of Cook and tate of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Drop-End Gondola Cars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to drop end gondola 'cars and has as its primary object to provide a new and improved drop end or gate for the above type of car, which will resist the stresses due to the cargo thrusts against the end more effectively than the end gates now in use. y

Drop end gondola cars are provided with drop end gates so as to permit the carrying of structures longer than the car, such for example, as steel girders or railroad rails, as well as bulk freight. When carrying cargoes such as girders or rails the end gates lie flat on the floor and must, therefore, be strong enough to support the weight of the cargo. It is customary to provide the end gate-of a car of this type with iiexible or link hinges, this type of hinge being preferred so that the gate may be readily folded down upon the ioor of the car. The hinges ordinarily ldo not take any of the stresses of the cargo against the gate. Abutm'ents are ordinarily provided for this purpose Von the side walls and floor of the car. lf the pressure of the cargo against the end gate is considerable, as it is likely to be, there is a tendency for the gate to bulge. This is undesirablein itself as the structure of the gate is weakened and it is likely to be given-v a permanent set which makes it inconvenient to mani-pulate. Moreover, any considerable outward bulge of the gate tends to draw up the lower edge of the gate at the middle causing a gap between the gate and the door abutment through which bulk material can leak. rlhe primary object of my invention is to provide the end gate of a drop end gondola car with hinges so constructed and arrangedas to take some of the stresses on the gate with the purpose particularly of preventing the bulging cf the gate and the conn sequent tendency of the car to leak as above My invention ccntempiates more the provision of a suitable particularly hinged connection between the car frameand the end gate put under tension by pressure on the gate, whereby certain stresses in- `the invention.

and in whichan end view of a drop end Figure 1 is in accordance with gondola car constructed my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 with certain parts removed for* the purpose of clearness in illustrating the hinged connection between the end gate and the under framing of the car.

Fig. 4 is -a vertical sectional view, similar to Fig. 2, illustrating a modified form of Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, 10., 10 designate the side walls of the car, 11 the flooring, 12 the end sill, and 13, 13 and 14, 14: the center and side sills, respectively, of the under" framing of the car. The flooring may be secured to the under framing of the car in any suitable manner, as, for example, by means of the nailing strips 15, which eX- tend longitudinally of the car and Which may be bolted or otherwise secured to the upper flange of the center and side sills. Angular members 1,6 and 17 are bolted to the inner and outer surface of the vertical edges of the side walls and provide abutments 18, 18 for the vertical edges of the end 'gaten An angular strip 19 extends transversely'of the car and is secured to the under frammg so as to provide an abutment for the lower edge of the gateWhell '.lhe drop end gate illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive consists of a instal sheet 2O formed with pressed strengthening and rigidifying corrugations 21 extending horizontally across the end gate and which forms a sinuous structure -in cross-section. The corrugations in this construction are shown as the gate is raised to its lupstanding position.

ica

liti) being pressed outwardly from the plane of the sheet and terminating within the edges Fig. 2', and also .provide the reinforcement necessary in resisting the cargo thrusts against the end when the same is 1n its upright position. The upper flange. 22 is further lreinforced by .means of the angle 25. In drop end gondola cars it is desirable to reinforce the end as much as possible transversely of the-car' so as to transmit the strains due to the cargo thrusts to the side walls of the car. This mannerof construction also minimizes the vdanger of the end gate buckling or being otherwise distorted l under the weight of the cargo when the gate is lowered to the dotted line position'. in Fig.

v.2. With a view of providing-satisfactory reinforcement for car ends of this type, I preferably provide the end with a reinforcing angular strip 26 secured to the sheet 20 along the lower edge thereof and adapted to abut against the angular strip 19 when the gate is raised toits upstanding position. 27 designates a wooden lining for the end fffwhich is secured tothe inner surface of the sheet4 20 by means of nailing strips 28. rlfhese strips -are preferably fitted into certain of the corrugations and are secured therein by means of bolts 29 which extend through said lining and nailing strips.l

Metal strips 30 prevent the heads ofA the -bolts from becoming embedded in the Wooden lining 27. Thel lining arrangements Just described are notclaimed herein as they are claimed in a divisional application filed VApril 241918,Serial No. 230,396. The end vgat-e is preferably connected to the under framing of the car by means of flexible or link hinges. It should be understood that any number of these hinges may be used that may be found desirable to hold the end ate A in proper position with respect to the a utments 18-19. In the drawing I haveV shown two suchhinges, each of which consists of a U-bolt 31 riveted to the horizontal ange of the angle 26 at the lower edgeof the gate, a staple 32 secured to one of the center sills. ofthe under framing, and a link 33 connecting said U-bolt and staple. The link is preferably given a twist so that its'opposite ends stand at substantially right aglesto each other. The fiooring 11 is cut away as at 34 to permit the upper portion 35 of the lilik to-extend through thelooring in a manner to permit the link to move freely. The angle 26 is also cut away, as indicated at 36, Figs. 2 and 3, to provide the necessary clearance for the loop 35 of the `link 33.

The staple 32 is secured to the center sills a short distance back of the U-bolt 31, so that` the connecting link 33 will be held taut in an angular position when the gate is in its upstanding position. Thelower edge of the car is thereby held dow-n in proper 'position so that the gate cannot bulge and. gap at the middle. 38-38 designates latch members for holding the end ate vin its upstanding position against t e above mentioned abutments.

Referring to Fig. 4: 'In this figure I'have Y.

illustrated a modified form of my invention.

The end gate illustrated in this figure consists of `a sheet metal panelV 20a provided with inwardly pressed corrugations 21a.

The vertical edges of said panelA are bent V at right angles to the plane of the sheet so asl to^` provide reinforcing angular'members 231,-24a substantially the same as those shown at 23 and 24 1n Figs. '2 and 3. The upper and lower margins of the end panel shown in this, construction are reinforced by a bulb angle bar 28 and' a channel member 39 respectively. The hinged connection illustrated in this figure consists of 'U-bolt 40 secured to the `Ychannel member39 at the lower edge of the gate, a staple 41 riveted to the under framing ofthe car a short dis= tance back of the U-bolt 40 inv substantially the same manner asillustrated in connection with Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, and a link The abutment in this construction consists of an angular member 43 which isl arranged `42 connecting the said U-bolt and staple.

so that its vertical ange extends along the lower edge of the gate so'as to provide an abutment substantially the same as that shown in the other gures. This an member is also secured to the end lsill 12a by means of the rivets 44 and is further rigidified by cross-members 45. This modified construction in other respects may be sublar stanti'ally the samel as the structure illustrated in the other figures and need not be described herein.

While I have illustrated my invention in certain preferred embodiments, it is obvious that further modifications in the structure might be made without departure from' the spirit of my invention. I therefore wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the exact structure shown anddescribed; exceptso far as specific limitations may appear in the appended claims. The modification shown in Fig. 4 is not claimed specifically herein, being the subject matter of the divisional application above mentioned.

I claim: 1. In a drop end gondola car, the comnecesa? bination` with the under frame of the car, of a drop end gate, and means for exibly connecting said gate to the under frame at points inwardly and below the lower edge of the gate whereby the lower edge of the gate is held down against the tendency of the gate to bulge.

2. In a drop end ondola car, the combination with the longitudinal sills of the car, of a drop end gate, and means for iexibly connecting said gate directly to said longitudinal sills. y

3. In a drop end gondola car, the combination with the under-framing of the car, of a drop end gate for the car, and means for flexibly connecting said gate to the said under-framing, comprising a link secured to the gate and to the under-framing so as to transmit stresses, due to cargo thrusts against the gate, to said under-framing.

4. In a drop end gondola car, the combination with the under-framingof the car, of a drop end gate for the car, and means for flexibly connecting said gate to the said under-framing, comprising a link secured to the lower edge of the gate and to the under-framing so as to transmit stresses, due to cargo thrust against the gate, to said under-framing.

5. In a drop end gondola car, the combination with the under-framing of the car, of -adrop end gate for the car, and means for flexibly connecting said gate to the said under-framing, comprising a link secured to the gate near the vertical center of the end, and to the under-framing so as to transmit stresses, due to cargo against the gate, to said under-framing.

6. In a drop end gondola car, the combination with the side walls and underframing of the car, of a drop end gate for the car, abutments for said gate secured to the side walls, an abutment for the lower edge of said gate, and means for hingedly connecting said gate to the under-framing, comprising a link flexibly connected tothe I lower edge of said gate and to said underframing and adapted to transmit stresses, due to the thrusts of the cargo against the end, to the said under-framing.

7. In a drop end gondola car, the combination with the side walls and underframing of the car, of a drop end gate for the car, abutments for said gate secured to the side walls, an abutment for the lower edge of said gate, comprising an angular member extending transversely of the car, and means for hingedly connecting said gate to the 'under-framing comprising a link flexibly connected to the lower edge of said gate and to said under-framing and ada ted to transmit stresses, due to the thrusts o the cargo against the end, to the said underframing.

8. In a drop end gondola car, the lcomput under tension vframing of the carlcf an end thru sts a point inwardly comprising links having their ends twisted at substantially right angles to each other and flexibly secured to the lower edge of said gate and to the said under-frame so as to be put under tension by the cargo thrusts against said gate.

9. In a drop end gondola car, the combination with the side walls and center sills of the car, of a drop end gate for the car, abutments for the vertical edges of said gate secured to the side walls, an abutment for the lower edge of the gate extending transversely of the car and secured to the under-frame, and means for hingedly connecting said gate to the center sills, comring links having their ends twisted at substantially right angles to each other and iexibly secured to the lower edge of said gate and to the said center sills so as to be against said gate.

10. In a drop end gondola car, the combination with the side wallsand undergate for said car comprisin a s eet metal panel formed with outward y pressed corrugations and having its top and vertical edges bent at right angles to the main portion `ot' the panel to provide rigidifying marginal anges, an angle secured to the top inarginal flange, an angle secured to the llower edge of said sheet, an abutment for the lower edge of the gate, abutments for the vertical edges of the gate, and means for hinging the said gate to the under-framing of the oar, comprising a U-bolt secured to the lower edge of the door, a staple secured to the under-framing of the car askshort distance back of said U-bolt, and a twisted link connecting said U-bolt and staple.

11. In a drop end gondola car, the combination with the body of the car, of an end gate, means on the body of the car providing edges of the end abutments for the when the latter is in'closed position, and means connecting the gate to the body of the car comprising a hinged-forming1 member engaged with the lower edge of t e. gate and engaged vwith the body of the carat of the lower edge of the gate, which hinge member is put in tension when the gate is under pressure of the cargo.

12. In a drop endy gondola car, the combination with the body of the car, of an end gate means on the, body of the car providing abutments for the edges of the end by the cargo thrustsA gate,

gate when the latter is in closed position, and means connecting the gate to the body of the car comprising a hinge-formin member engaged with the lower edge of e gate and engaged with the body of the car at a point inwardly of and below the lower edge of the gate, whicl1 hinge member is put in tension when the gate is under pressure of the cargo.

v 13. In a drop end gondolaJ car, the combination with the body of the car, of an end gate, means on the car body providing abutments for the edges of the end gate when the latter is in closed position, and means for hinging the gate'to the car comprising a member flexibly connected with the lower edge of the gate and flexibly connected with 'ments for the edges of the end gate when the latter is in closed position, and means for hinging the gate to the car comprising a member flexibly connected with the lower edge of the gate and iexibly connected with the car body and disposed so as to constitute means for holding down the lower edge of the gate against t bulge and gap at the bottom.

CLARENCE w. COURT.

e tendency of the gate to 

